How to follow United v Brentford

Monday 03 April 2023 14:59

Erik ten Hag and Manchester United will be looking to bring a three-game winless Premier League run to an end when Brentford come to town on Wednesday.

The Bees are still in contention for the European places and are likely to provide stiff opposition in M16, having lost just one of their last 16 top-flight games.

But Ten Hag has spoken of a need for his United men to learn lessons from our defeat to Newcastle at the weekend, and three points are required if we are to regain momentum in our hunt for a Champions League place.

Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming encounter, starting with details of the live coverage...

Erik's post-match press conference Video

Erik's post-match press conference

Erik ten Hag briefs the media following the Reds' disappointing afternoon in Newcastle...

HOW CAN YOU FOLLOW THE GAME?

The match is scheduled to kick off at 20:00 BST, but it is not being shown live in the UK. This is because the fixture was not intended to be broadcast in its original slot, on Sunday 26 February, before it had to be moved due to our involvement in the Carabao Cup final.

Our Match Day Live show commences at 18:55 BST, and will include exclusive build-up and post-match reaction. Further must-see content will also be available on ManUtd.com and in the United App, with radio commentary available throughout the 90 minutes.

WHEN CAN YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTS?

Two-minute highlights of the game will be available two hours after the final whistle, with 90 in 20 and Full 90 being published later.

WHAT’S THE TEAM NEWS?

Casemiro’s domestic suspension still applies, meaning he misses this game as well as the visit of Everton on Saturday. Christian Eriksen is edging closer to a return to first-team training, but Alejandro Garnacho, Tom Heaton (both ankle) and Donny van de Beek (knee) are still sidelined.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was ill for Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle, but Anthony Martial managed half an hour as a substitute in his first appearance since early February.

As far as the visitors are concerned, Shandon Baptiste is back from a one-match suspension but Keane Lewis-Potter and Kristoffer Ajer are long-term absentees. Vitaly Janelt is a doubt, having missed the draws against Leicester and Brighton due to a knee problem.

Wan-Bissaka absence explained

 Article

Aaron was not in the matchday squad to take on Newcastle at St James' Park.

FORM GUIDE

United are searching for a first Premier League win since 19 February, when a Marcus Rashford double helped us dispatch Leicester City 3-0. Jadon Sancho’s strike in that game was our most recent top-flight goal and we’ll obviously be looking to bring that scoreless stretch to an end against the Bees on Wednesday.

Our recent home form must provide some comfort. Only Leeds and Southampton have escaped M16 with a point in the last six months and no team in the Premier League have conceded fewer than the eight goals we've shipped on our own patch.

Brentford have been hard to beat this term, with only Everton managing to get the better of the west Londoners since a 4-0 reverse to Aston Villa in late October. While significant wins have been recorded against Manchester City and Liverpool in the meantime, the Bees are the Premier League’s draw specialists.

Of their 28 fixtures so far, 13 have finished level, including three of the last five on the road. Frank’s men were close to beating fellow high-flyers Brighton on Saturday, taking the lead three times at the Amex Stadium but drawing 3-3, with the final word arriving via Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty in injury-time.

90 in 20: United v Brentford Video

90 in 20: United v Brentford

Extended highlights of our clash with the Bees are available to watch now...

PAST MEETINGS

This will be our 17th competitive meeting with Brentford and the ninth clash between the sides at Old Trafford. The Bees have won in M16 only once, way back in 1937, and United ran out 3-0 victors in the last iteration of this fixture, played on 2 May 2022.

Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane were on the scoresheet for the Reds, as the departing Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Edinson Cavani were all given the opportunity to bid farewell to supporters prior to leaving the club.

THE OFFICIALS

John Brooks will be the man with the whistle at Old Trafford, and he will be ably assisted by Matthew Wilkes and Eddie Smart. Darren England is fourth official, with Robert Jones in charge of the VAR.

RIVALS WATCH

The Premier League is playing catch-up this midweek, as six fixtures are scheduled in across Tuesday and Wednesday...

TUESDAY 4 APRIL

Bournemouth v Brighton (19:45 BST)
Leeds v Nottingham Forest (19:45 BST)
Leicester v Aston Villa (19:45 BST)
Chelsea v Liverpool (20:00 BST)

WEDNESDAY 5 APRIL

UNITED v Brentford (20:00 BST)
West Ham v Newcastle (20:00 BST)

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